


In Good Time

by George_Hale



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Blackmail, Extortion, F/M, Imprisonment, Kidnapping, Resolved Sexual Tension, Revenge, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:28:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25820641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/George_Hale/pseuds/George_Hale
Summary: Set before the events in Season 6 Episode 'Biogenesis.' Alex Krycek holds Walter Skinner's life in his hands. Using the nanotechnology in Skinner's bloodstream as leverage, Krycek makes demands that compromise the trust and working relationship between Skinner and the X-Files team.
Relationships: Dana Scully/Walter Skinner
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14





	1. Revenge

**Author's Note:**

> I re-edited chapters 1-6 on 14/08/20 so anyone who already gave this fic a look should consider reading it from the beginning as I made a few changes.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers – SR819, Biogenesis, The Sixth Extinction, The Sixth Extinction II: Amor Fati
> 
> Rating – PG-13 (eventually NC-17) RST, Torture, Kidnapping, Blackmail, Extortion, Revenge
> 
> Summary – SSR. Set before the events in Season 6 Episode 'Biogenesis.' Alex Krycek holds Walter Skinner's life in his hands. Using the nanotechnology in Skinner's bloodstream as leverage, Krycek makes demands that compromise the trust and working relationship between Skinner and the X-Files team.

It took a matter of seconds for Walter Skinner to realize the danger he was in and why. One moment he had been turning the key in the ignition of his car, the next he'd felt a sharp twinge in his neck. Before he could turn to identify his attacker, he'd received a swift blow to the side of his head.

Despite this, as he'd slipped into unconsciousness in the darkened FBI car park, he knew who was in the back seat and what he'd done to deserve this special attention.

Once again, he'd managed to piss off the wrong people. This time he had denied evidence to Alex Krycek and whoever was pulling his strings almost certainly left a trail of Morley smoke in their wake.

Skinner had barely recovered from his near-fatal heart attack when Alex resurfaced. It was after his first day back in the office, and he'd found Alex waiting in his car. The key difference was, he'd anticipated that visit.

'What do you want from me?' he'd demanded, any real fighter had to know when he was defeated. He was at Alex's mercy. Angry about this, but humble nevertheless.

'All in good time, Walter' Alex had purred before slipping out of the car and leaving him to worry over what might follow that brief but dangerous exchange. 

Skinner's brush with death had left him suitably shaken. Getting older had little to do with it, flirting with his mortality was no more appealing at middle age than it had been when he was barely out of his teens.

Krycek had controlled this condition. He had watched from the shadows as doctors and the X-Files team rushed to find a cure for him.  Scully had put in extra time, working around the clock to try to delay the inevitable, the massive heart attack that was poised to kill him at any moment.

For Skinner, the condition was something of an insult. Heart attacks were not uncommon for men in his age group. He was more than aware of that. 

Still, living the life he'd led, he'd been prepared to be ended by bullets, a knife-edge or even fists. He'd never contemplated the possibility that his death might be slow and painful, something he couldn't fight.

He'd faced death in hospital and was not peaceful or unafraid, but bitter and regretful. What had changed in him since he was a fatally wounded boy bleeding out on the floor of the jungle?

He'd had (and lost) a wife, he'd led a life of varied experience and had a career path which had become stunted for the past six years.

Dana Scully was his blind spot, and there was no point denying it. Especially when he thought he had hours left to live. It hurt to recollect that he'd been weak and vulnerable enough to bare his soul to her. Remembering how she'd let him offload on her – and it would seem that was all for nothing.

Nothing about his speech had changed the nature of their relationship. He was no closer to her personally or even to the X-Files investigations as a whole. He was no more of a friend or ally than he had been before.

Skinner almost resented the way she had listened to him so attentively, with such warmth in her eyes. Maybe it was her Catholic background that made her think his deathbed confessions were something he had a right to divulge.

Afterwards, when his life returned to normal, his connection to Dana and the X-Files rekindled in the same vein. It was soon after that Alex had warned him of his dependency, he almost wished he had died on that hospital bed.

In many ways, he felt that living the same life was a fate worse than death. The same frustrated, muted, angry existence that he'd led before was an insult to him now.

Solitary, untouchable and with the object of his desire kept firmly out of his reach. Except that now Dana Scully knew about his weakness, that he wanted more from her.  Thank God he'd had the presence of mind to only speak of friendship and nothing beyond that.

No-one was capable of bringing him back from the brink of death except Alex and Skinner did the unthinkable when Krycek finally attempted to collect his debt.

Krycek phoned him in the middle of the workday and told him that he would need to start recording his meetings with Mulder and Scully from now on.  Skinner had been appropriately conflicted, he didn't want to end up in the hospital again but more than that – he knew he had one more chance to give his life meaning.  If he didn't give up this evidence to Alex, then at least he could die an honest man. He could be the ally to the X-Files team that he wanted to be, albeit in secret.

Skinner had felt a shadow of fear pass over his heart, even as he tried so hard to convince himself that he was doing the right thing.

'That's not going to happen.'

The silence that followed his denial was deadly, and Skinner hoped that Alex had merely hung up the phone.

'Are you sure you want to play it that way, Walter?'

'I'm sure' he'd returned with limited conviction, unwilling to back down though. Then he heard the line go dead and he figured he should probably start counting down the days that he had left.

This conversation replayed in his mind when he'd felt the needle in his neck. He was surprised to wake up again afterwards.  Then again, it wasn't Alex's style to kill him with an injection, though he was sure a classic knife in the back scenario was not beneath him.

Slowly, Skinner's eyelids fluttered open, and a room very gradually came into focus. He struggled to make sense of what he saw. It seemed that he'd lost his glasses.

He was feeling tired and disoriented. Skinner assumed that whatever that injection had contained was still in his system. 

Skinner was in bed, and he dimly wondered if he was back in hospital again.  The room was small, bleak, windowless and contained no furniture that he could see. All he could make out was a door, a steel basin and toilet and a white fluorescent light hung from the ceiling.

Attempting to sit up made him wince, he had a pounding headache. He fought the urge to vomit when he realized that both of his hands were bound tightly above his head. The handcuffs popped and rattled as Skinner tested the strength of the bed frame above him.

He looked down at his body and saw that someone had undressed him. His suit jacket and tie were missing, at least he'd been left with his white undershirt and dress trousers. His feet were bare, and naturally, his gun was missing too.

Skinner cursed at the dangerous situation he found himself in, and an answering groan startled him into total alertness.  He couldn't twist around far enough to see where the noise had come from, but he had a sinking feeling that he knew the voice well.

'Sir?' Scully appeared in his eye line, stepping up from the floor slowly. He cursed softly again, not her too!

'Scully' he rasped back, his throat was dry and scratchy. He felt hungover, and he was sure that the real pain was only just beginning.

Scully was also missing her weapon and ID, Skinner's heart went out to her as he watched her take in her condition with panic and confusion.

'Are you hurt?' he pressed as she checked herself over thoroughly.

'I don't think so.' she ran a hand through her mussed-up hair and winced as she stretched out her neck.  Dana looked down at her stockinged feet, and Skinner could tell she was momentarily grateful to have been left in her business suit trousers and sheer, spaghetti-strapped vest.

'Where are we?' she demanded, unevenly. Her voice sounded rough too, and she coughed a little.

'No idea' he admitted, staring at the dirty, breeze block ceiling, wondering how long they would be left this way.

'Have you been injured?' she pressed approaching him with an outstretched hand, looking worried.

Skinner felt that he didn't deserve such care and attention. Dana was eyeing his cheekbone, which did feel a little swollen. He shrugged away from her when she tried to touch him, scorning her concern.

'I'm fine' he grumbled, dismissively, hating himself all the more when Dana's eyes narrowed on him in surprise and suspicion.

'This looks like a quiet room. I assume the intercom doesn't work any more?'

'I didn't know there was an intercom?' he responded, Dana then reached behind his head and tapped on the wall.

'I'm pretty sure it's out of commission.'

'I assume the same goes for the plumbing.' Skinner continued, nodding towards the steel toilet and basin on the other side of the room.

'And yet we've got lighting in here. Unusual considering this place appears to have been abandoned – and for a long time too.' Dana reflected, feeling the damp padded walls and surveying their environment with a look of growing distaste.

'You think this is a psych ward then?' Skinner looked about him, the layout and walls would suggest as much.

'Yes, which means the only door opens from the outside' Dana crossed to the barrier and applied pressure to it momentarily before pounding it with her fists and calling out for help.  When this yielded no results, she started to throw her weight against it.

'Be careful' Skinner warned, groaning when he saw that she was starting to hurt herself.

'We're not alone in here' Scully observed suddenly stopping still.

'What do you mean?'

Dana spotted a camera in the corner of the room directed right at the bed. There was a red light flashing indicating that it was running.

'We're being filmed.'

Skinner felt his headache return in full force, and the threat of throwing up seemed all too real at that moment.

'We need to get out of here, Scully' he announced gravely, stating the obvious.

Scully suddenly noticed that there was a clipboard attached to the foot of the bed and moved to examine it.

'Is that a medical chart?' Skinner demanded, confused.

'No, it's conditions for our release. Someone wants leverage over us – we have until 6 pm tomorrow to give them what they want. It's 9.45 pm now...'

'What do they want?'

'They intend to film us having sex in here.'

Skinner's mind went blank. He thought he had hated Krycek before. Now he would stop at nothing to see the life drain from his eyes.

'What happens at six pm if we refuse?' he asked, unable to meet her eyes.

'It says here that you'll die first but that I'll soon follow.' she recited.

Skinner struggled against his bonds again – this time he made the otherwise sturdy metal bed frame shake and rattle in his distress.

'Help me, Scully! There has to be a way to dismantle this frame somehow.'

'Shhh!' Dana laid a hand on his knee and fixed him with a grave, soothing look.

'Even if I could take this bed apart, you'd still be handcuffed in a padded room with no way out. Try to stay calm.'

No sooner had the words passed her lips then Skinner felt that familiar doom again. A pressure built in his chest that had nothing to do with panic. He felt the blood boil in his veins, the pain surrounding his heart all too familiar.

Unable to clutch desperately at his chest – Skinner merely thrashed against his bonds again, this time it was clear that he was in agony.

'What is it? Skinner! What's wrong?' Scully sounded so far away as she laid her hand on his forehead, her eyes widened in alarm.

The agony slowly abated, leaving Skinner a gasping, sweating wreck – fighting to control his breathing.

Dana tilted his head to one side and saw the veins in his neck bulging. She'd seen him like this before.  Suddenly the gravity of their situation seemed to strike her at full force.

Skinner eventually looked up at her through bleary eyes when she tried to rouse him.

'Someone is activating the nanobots in your system' she concluded, he nodded wearily at this but couldn't speak just yet.

Dana turned away briefly to hide her panic – knowing their kidnapper was watching them and could destroy Skinner from within in this insidious way was terrifying.

'Skinner? Who has done this to you? Do you know them?' she demanded then, approaching him once more.

He shook his head at this question, but it was clear that she didn't believe him.

'You do, don't you?! Tell me who it is!?'

'No.' he muttered, his voice hoarse and withered as he closed his eyes again.

'Why are you trying to protect them?'

'Not them.' he concluded, then the attack started over again, effectively silencing him.

Skinner clenched his teeth as he gave himself over to the pain, his face red and straining.


	2. Conclusions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set before the events in Season 6 Episode 'Biogenesis.' Alex Krycek holds Walter Skinner's life in his hands. Using the nanotechnology in Skinner's bloodstream as leverage, Krycek makes demands that compromise the trust and working relationship between Skinner and the X-Files team.

After what might have been one or several hours later, Scully was pacing the quiet room like a caged animal – her mind in pieces.  Skinner turned his face in her direction – he could feel how restless she was growing, but he felt too weak to console her.

When their eyes locked Skinners gaze was blank – almost like he was looking right through her. He'd had five attacks since they'd woken up in that awful place. Despite his exhaustion, Skinner almost seemed resigned to the attacks. He appeared to think that his fate was playing out. That scared her more than anything.

'You're not going to tell me, are you?' she acknowledged after a long silence – the quiet tension in the room crackled as he grit his teeth and then turned away from her.

'No, let me die in peace, Scully' he grumbled.

'Screw you!' she returned, her eyes flaring. She turned to see Skinner smiling to himself, and her heart ached with regret.

'Skinner – please?'

He shook his head again, and she fell silent once more, baffled and wanting to scream her lungs out.  They both knew that he couldn't afford another attack. He was a strong man, but Scully was aware of the massive strain his heart was under and that it could give out at any moment.

'I'm not watching you die in here' she continued, taking hold of his face and turning him to look at her impatiently.

'No choice' he murmured, his speech was slightly slurred – she could tell that he was running out of energy. Her patience and nerves felt wrung out.

'That's not true though, is it?' she pressed, trying to be rational but Skinner refused to even respond to that question.

'Why did this have to happen on a Friday night?' she railed, hopelessly.

'It was probably planned out that way.'

'Because outside of work there was no-one to notice us missing' Dana concluded, Skinner smiled bitterly at this point.

'I'm starting to see the true value of having a personal life now' she continued, trying to lighten the tone but instead sounding deeply regretful.

'Mulder...?' Skinner floated, but Scully merely shrugged doubtfully.

'He usually plays basketball on a Saturday morning but who knows what might come up? There's a chance that he's knocking on my apartment door right now after leaving me several unreturned messages. Stranger things have happened...'

'I'll bet they have.' Skinner responded, his dry humour only seemed to pain Scully further.

'What time is it?' Skinner demanded then, trying to stay practical but with no real use for the information.

'Just after midnight – less than eighteen hours to go...' she reminded him of a point he could hardly forget and then resumed her pacing around the room once more.

'You should try and rest, I'd make room for you on here, but I don't think I'm quite up to the task.' Skinner tried to re-arrange his position on the bed unsuccessfully. Dana merely smiled at the gesture.

His arms were starting to hurt – he'd pulled against the cuffs too much, and his wrists felt raw. Despite all of this the whole ordeal had him spent.

'I'll sleep later – after you' she stressed, scanning his weary face with worried eyes again.

'You've got to save your strength' he muttered, his eyelids fluttering shut.

'Really? What's the use? You've given up already!'

'Doesn't matter. You still have a chance, Scully.'

'We don't know that. I might be left in here after you've...' Scully bit back her last word, turned her head to the floor – flushed with regret.

Skinner frowned at her, unspeakably angry at that moment, wishing she would give him one thing to hang onto. Just a shred of hope.

'We're leaving here together, okay?' she pressed, Skinner was too exhausted to speak up for several seconds.

'Too tired to fight with you.' he shook his head. Dana watched his head begin to loll back and forth – his eyes closing gradually. He fought the exhaustion to the last second, resisting it for as long as he could. Dana felt some peace herself when she saw sleep claim him, his handsome face relaxed, no longer etched in pain or uncertainty.

She walked across to him then and laid her hand atop his, nodding to herself, she knew what she had to do.


	3. Denial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set before the events in Season 6 Episode 'Biogenesis.' Alex Krycek holds Walter Skinner's life in his hands. Using the nanotechnology in Skinner's blood stream as leverage, Krycek makes demands that compromise the trust and working relationship between Skinner and the X-Files team.

Mulder woke up at 7:15 am to the bang of a newspaper hitting his apartment door. He groaned, rubbed his eyes and was soon out of bed and moving around. He checked what food he had in. Typically he needed to hit the supermarket again, all that was left in the fridge was old bread and some ancient orange juice.

Weekends held little appeal for him – they never did. After brewing a coffee, he started to contemplate going into the office. There were a few new case files that he'd not finished reading.

When he retrieved the daily paper, he was surprised to find it accompanied by a large manilla envelope. It bore his name but no address or any other postal details. He frowned suspiciously and looked up and down his hallway but found no trace of anyone.

Locking the door behind him, Mulder settled down on his couch and cast his coffee aside as he tore into the mysterious envelope. Inside was an unmarked videotape and a small printed card that read -

'Your friends need a ride.'

Mulder recited this aloud, the only other information it contained was a random address from the outskirts of town. He ejected some porn from the VCR and felt an appropriate sense of impending disaster as the tape began to play.

The picture was grainy and low-res. Mulder recognised her hair first, the soft red hair and then the slight, pale form of his partner. Scully was astride someone, a much larger person. Mulder tipped his coffee on the floor as he scrambled to get closer to the television screen.

Not believing his own eyes – or the reality of what had been left on his doorstep that morning. Could it be? The man below his partner was fully dressed. She was stripped back to underwear and a sheer vest.

He could tell that they were connected and his heart threatened to beat out of his chest. He watched as she rocked a little unevenly – trying to support herself on the man's thighs – her back arching slightly.

'Scully?' Mulder was unable to look away, transfixed and unblinking as he saw her slowly find a rhythm. He knew it was her and in his heart, he knew who she was with too. 

Still, his denial was so strong that he doubted the truth right up until she moaned their bosses first name, quietly and clearly.

Skinner's silently straining face came into view. He was cuffed to the bed and gazing up at her with dark, heavily lidded eyes. He was watching as she started to roll her hips against him with more confidence and purpose.

It was hearing Skinner breathe her name in response that brought Mulder shuddering back down to Earth. He shut off the tape suddenly, his mind racing as he considered all of his options.

Should he call this in at work? The pair might have been engaging in a personal encounter that someone had secretly recorded without their knowledge or consent. The location suggested otherwise. It was simply too grim. Mulder couldn't imagine anyone wanting to have sex in a room like that.

Knowing that assembling a team would mean a report and intense questioning, office gossip and in turn, humiliation for his partner helped him make up his mind. Mulder grabbed the address and his gun and left his apartment in a daze. 

The address from the card led Mulder to an abandoned psychiatric facility. It had been condemned and was due to be demolished at the end of the month.

There were still broken wheelchairs, gurney's with restraints and other similar medical equipment scattered around that gave the building a forbidden, ominous air. Mulder felt real panic as he swept through the place, armed and prepared to fire at any second.

He found Skinner and Scully in a basement room fittingly enough. As he wrenched open the reinforced metal door, they both jumped in surprise and met his eye with visible discomfort.

'How did you find us?' Dana demanded, unsure if she wanted an answer to this question.

'I got an anonymous tip.' he returned, eyeing Skinner then, trying to avoid the subject that was hanging over them all.

'Can you get me loose?' Skinner demanded, looking worn out and agitated.

'Sure, the key to Scully's cuffs right outside the door along with the rest of your clothes' Mulder drawled, the insolence in his tone made Scully shoot him an unmistakable look of warning. Skinner set his jaw but said nothing.

Dana marched out of the room and returned fully dressed and armed. She removed the cuffs and ran her fingertips over the sore welts on Skinner's wrists in a tender way that set Mulder on edge.

He felt like an uninvited intruder as Scully handed Skinner his clothes only for him to thank her in a low, private and jarringly intimate tone. Mulder grimaced as he fought the urge to blurt out something highly unreasonable, opting instead to wait outside the room for the pair to join him in their own time.

Scully entered Mulder's car in silence, but Skinner hung back, he looked particularly angry and withdrawn in the cold light of day.

'I'll get a cab' he explained as they both looked at him in question.

'Are you sure you'll be okay?' Dana asked as Mulder started the engine and steadfastly ignored the inflexion in her voice.

'I'm sure' he responded, he forced a guarded half-smile for her benefit and retained it with some difficulty as Mulder drove away with Scully beside him.


	4. Consequences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set before the events in Season 6 Episode 'Biogenesis.' Alex Krycek holds Walter Skinner's life in his hands. Using the nanotechnology in Skinner's blood stream as leverage, Krycek makes demands that compromise the trust and working relationship between Skinner and the X-Files team.

Silence reigned during the ride back into town. Mulder gently floated the possibility of heading to the bureau, but Scully immediately shut this idea down.

'I just want to go home' she explained in a final tone, making her view on reporting the kidnapping loud and clear.

'We need to talk Scully' Mulder announced as they pulled up at her apartment in Georgetown and she seemed resigned to leave without another word.

'I've had a long night, Mulder' she returned, dismissively.

Mulder could barely control his features, staring out of the window while chewing his bottom lip to the point of pain.

'I get it – but there's something you need to know...'

Scully sighed in reluctant agreement and invited him in. She walked into her apartment, feeling exhausted, wishing she could get out of her dishevelled work clothes directly. Privacy and peace were what she truly needed to process what had happened between her and Skinner.

'Coffee?' she floated, yawning into the back of her hand and then filling the kettle. Mulder felt incapable of speaking up now that she was home and settling so firmly back into absolute denial.

'The anonymous tip arrived with a videotape' he announced, wincing when her eyes snapped up to meet his.

'I didn't watch all of it...' he continued in a feeble tone.

'It's just – I thought that you might want to destroy it yourself.'

'I appreciate the thought, although there are bound to be more copies.' she muttered, looking defeated and depressed as she hunted for filters.

Mulder didn't need to state the obvious, and they both knew that would almost certainly be the case. Instead, he left the tape on her kitchen counter and watched her prepare the coffee, steadfastly ignoring the evidence and focussing on the mundane task at hand.

'Did you want to talk at all – about what happened in there?'

'No, thank you. I don't.'

'And you don't want to go on the record about any of this?'

'No, that wouldn't just affect me, would it? This situation involves Skinner too.'

'Oh, I'm aware of that' he drawled, feeling suddenly very defensive and territorial again.

'I promised him that this wouldn't get out at work.' she shot back, impatiently.

'So, you're protecting Skinner through all this?'

'Why wouldn't I? Are you accusing him of something?'

'I'm just trying to make sense of what I saw on that damn tape!'

'It's private -it's none of your business! What happened doesn't concern you, Mulder.'

'You don't think I have a right to ask for some kind of explanation?'

'If I explain what happened, then I want you to drop this forever, do you understand? Don't grill Skinner for details.'

Mulder nodded. He was disconcerted by how resolutely Scully was standing by their boss.

'We were both abducted yesterday. I entered my car after work, and someone gave me a shot. I can't remember arriving at the psych ward. Whoever took us didn't communicate except in a note left in the room.'

'Do you still have it?'

Scully pulled the folded up note out of her pocket and placed it on the kitchen counter beside the tape. Mulder examined it, and she saw the conflict working behind his eyes.

'So, what happened in there was just self-preservation?'

'Whoever held us also had control of the nanotechnology that's infected, Skinner. They hit him with several waves. I was afraid for both of us, but Skinner was immediate danger. What happened in there was us trying to secure our release.'

Mulder shook his head grudgingly. He thought her choice of words was unfortunate, and he wasn't satisfied with the overall explanation.

'I don't know who took us or why they made a video and sent it to you.'

'Isn't it obvious? It was someone with a grudge – someone who wants to hurt me!'

'I'm sorry, Mulder! But you're not the only one affected by this. If Skinner and I can let this go then I don't see that you have a choice.'

'They've tried to break us up before, Scully.'

'You think this relates to the X-Files?'

'Of course, that should concern you just as much as it does me!'

'I can't get into that right now, okay? No-one is happy about what happened last night. I need you to drop it now.'

'And Skinner? How can you be so sure that he's willing to let all this go?'

'Because we discussed it – it's over. I was trying to do the right thing then, and I still am. Skinner understands that.'

Scully plucked the note out of Mulder's hand, her walls going up fast – closing him and everyone else out.

'Did you want coffee or not?'

'No, I'm late for basketball. I'll see you on Monday.'

Scully sighed as Mulder left without another look in her direction and slammed her apartment door on his way out. She drank her coffee and stashed away the tape and note before locking her apartment door and windows. It was such a relief to be alone at last, answering Mulder's endless question had been stifling.

All she wanted was to have a hot bath and forget what she'd experienced with Skinner the night before.

Sitting on the edge of the tub as it filled with hot water – it dawned on Scully that she had gone to great lengths to protect Skinner. She could hardly even remember denying her partner anything before, especially when it pertained to the X-Files. He always got his way.

Dana gasped as she slipped into the tub and she realized that her body might not be quite so quick to forget her encounter with Skinner. It had been a long time for her, and she was still sore - still feeling him. He'd watched her closely as she'd eased him inside of her, slowly- never rushing herself.

She wondered if she'd seemed awkward and artless to him, she'd not had much experience of sex, especially not in that dominant position. He'd not betrayed any emotion either way as she'd climbed on top of him, he seemed to be in denial about what was about to happen between them until they were flush against each other.

The cuffs popped above their heads as he struggled against the instinctual need to grip onto her. Dana had wanted to kiss him then, to comfort and reassure him as his eyes rounded in pleading.

It was madness really, the fact that she worried that kissing would be too intimate. Too much of an imposition, too revelatory perhaps?

She would have to force herself to forget that they'd both come at the same time, that they'd been staring into each other's eyes when it happened. How else would she be able to work with Skinner again?

Instigating the sex was a lot easier than she thought it would be. She was drawn to the warmth of his body and curled around him contentedly as he slept. She'd let him sleep for around four hours before rousing him with a hand pressed intimately to his heart. He was still groggy, confused by the way she'd wrapped herself around him and she hoped – more receptive as a consequence.

'I'll be okay with this if you are' she whispered in his ear, wanting this decision to be private even if everything that followed wouldn't be.

'We can't' he breathed in return, shaking his head again but feeling himself respond as she placed her leg over his.

'We're running out of time, Skinner. I'm ready now' she reasoned emphatically.

She recalled seeing the light of acceptance in his eyes at hearing those words from her. When he'd nodded, she'd taken control of the situation.

Mulder had been right about that. It was only self-preservation for them. That's all it was.


	5. Recollections

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set before the events in Season 6 Episode 'Biogenesis.' Alex Krycek holds Walter Skinner's life in his hands. Using the nanotechnology in Skinner's blood stream as leverage, Krycek makes demands that compromise the trust and working relationship between Skinner and the X-Files team.

Skinner had handled the aftermath of his abduction with Scully with absolute denial. When he got back to his apartment, he was too tired to go running or hit the gym. Instead, he forced himself to eat a light breakfast before showering. He then discovered after an hour rolling around in bed that sleep was impossible to come by.

He paced around his apartment restlessly checking the time, ignoring the urge to panic call Dana – before deciding that lunchtime wasn't too early to find the nearest bar.

He had liquor at home, but drinking in public sounded like the safest option. He found a bar and grill three blocks away from his home and after two neat scotches his mind inevitably drifted back to that abandoned psych ward.

Everyone around him was laughing, talking about their Friday nights and ordering hot lunches with pitchers of beer. Skinner found the banality comforting. He blended into the background – no one would ever tell how haunted he was.

Scully had assured him that she would protect his privacy and he believed her. He wasn't ready to admit, even to himself, that what hurt him had nothing to do with the physical torture he'd endured or the risk of being fired from the bureau.

After six drinks, he staggered home thinking that he was numb enough now to try and sleep again. Maybe he could even manage to forget his problems for a few hours if he was lucky.

Finding Scully stood waiting outside his apartment door was heart-wrenching and entirely unexpected. He wasn't ready to see her again so soon. He hadn't figured out what he wanted to say to her yet. Worst of all, it was clear that he'd spent his afternoon drinking heavily.

Scully was gracious enough to pretend that she didn't smell the liquor on him. She even managed a shy smile in greeting – he'd been baffled but admired her strength of resolve. He didn't speak to her, just opened his door and waited to let her cross the threshold first.

Making coffee seemed like the thing to do, Scully had already had a few cups, but she felt that he needed sobering up a little. She accepted his offer with thanks.

'I wasn't sure if you were asleep – I tried your cell phone...' she trailed off awkwardly, hanging in Skinner's kitchen – eyeing him from a safe distance.

'The bar was loud – sorry' he mumbled, meeting her eye with difficulty. The sound of water boiling filled the silence that fell between them.

'I had an emergency session with a therapist today. I needed to put what happened last night into context.'

Skinner groaned inwardly at this revelation. Scully had been trying work through her feelings while he'd been stunning them into oblivion with alcohol.

'She advised that I tried to bring who did this to us to justice.'

Skinner's eyes latched onto hers at this news. He looked suitably alarmed.

'She also advised that I watched the tape before handing it over as evidence.'

'The tape?'

'Yes, Mulder received a tape – of us – along with the address of the building.'

Skinner's hand shook slightly, as he dispensed the coffee grinds – he wished he had not drunk quite so much today.

'So, Mulder knows...he - watched it?'

'Yes, I've already talked to him, and he says that he will not betray our confidence.'

'I'm sorry, Scully.' he mumbled then, miserable on a whole new level.

'Sir?'

'If what I did has – come between the pair of you in some way. I'm truly sorry.'

'Thank you. But I've explained to Mulder that this is a private matter that only concerns us. Also, despite what he and my therapist have advised I assured him that we would deal with it as we saw fit.'

Skinner met her eye again. He felt oddly comforted by how inclusive she'd been in explaining herself to Mulder.

'How would you like us to deal with this then?' Skinner pressed. Scully fell silent, deep in reflection for long seconds and only speaking up when he handed her a coffee.

'I want to hand the tape over to you. I think that you should watch it, as I did. I think that it will help us both draw a line under the experience.'

Skinner accepted the tape with a look of doubt in his features, looking at it in his hand with mistrust.

'When you've done that I would like you to destroy it. I'm sure that there are other copies out there, but I would feel better if you safely dispose of this one all the same.'

'Okay...and work?'

'I don't think the bureau needs to be involved.'

'But Mulder thinks that's the best way of handling this?'

'Mulder thinks that our abduction might have something to do with the X-Files. Now that we report to you again – maybe this kind of damaging material is valuable to our enemies? Or maybe someone is trying to break Mulder and me up as partners?'

'That's what he thinks?'

'That was one of his theories, yes.'

'And you? What's your theory?'

'I honestly don't know. People have tried to separate us before, but it's never worked out. I don't want to pursue this through an official investigation, Sir. On the other hand, if there's something you know about who might have abducted us...?'

'I can't' he responded flatly.

The look of abject disappointment in Dana's eyes at his refusal was agonizing. She had protected him, reached out to him and even shut out her partner for his sake, and now he denied the truth again.

'Are you sure about that?' she pressed, her tone laden with meaning.

'I'm sorry' he repeated, staring at the floor dumbly.

'So am I' Dana responded, laying her cup on the counter, coffee untouched.

She left without another word. Skinner felt like the silence she left him in would crush his heart. He placed the tape down on the kitchen counter, resisting the urge to watch it for all he was worth.

The cause of his conflict was numerous and overwhelming. He couldn't handle the idea that Mulder had watched them together. Worse still, was the fact that his greatest wish had finally come true but at such a severe price.

He wanted her now more than he ever had. Now that he knew how it felt to be inside Dana, he was a man lost to the world. It wasn't supposed to happen that way. It was supposed to mean something. Not become an awful case of survival that bound them by something other than loving feelings.

How could he tell her that despite his anger that they'd coupled in that awful place, he didn't want closure? He didn't want to try and forget it. Worse of all, he wanted to relive the experience already.

His continued denial had confused her, and why shouldn't it? She'd been brave enough to make the first move in the quiet room and then she'd showed up at his apartment, proving again how much stronger she was.

It had been a violation of both of their rights- he knew he should try and forget it as soon as possible, for the sake of his sanity, not to mention their working relationship.

He wondered though if it was even possible to forget the look in her eyes when she'd taken him inside her. That awed look that had humbled him to his soul, the very look that he'd always believed he'd give anything to witness. He'd seen it.

She'd offered him what he'd always wanted, and it had felt fucking incredible. Despite this, he couldn't help but be deeply hurt and angry. There was no way in hell he would ever explain why to her.

She'd done nothing wrong, she'd been perfect and gave herself to him with an honesty that would colour his thoughts and dreams for the rest of his days.

In his fantasies, he had taken her with reverence and care, in a clean, warm bed. Perhaps with some candles lit nearby. Not on a used hospital bed in some cramped room as a prisoner.

He'd wanted her to give herself to him freely. He'd needed to hold her close to his heart. Run fingers through her lovely hair and across her skin. He'd wanted to prepare her for him too – to make it an experience that she'd want to repeat indefinitely for the rest of her life. How would she ever feel that way now?

With a defeated sigh, Skinner threw out his coffee and opted to have another shot of whiskey instead. Holding his drink as though it was a lifeline, he marched into his lounge and put the tape into the VCR.

Taking a deep, calming breath and remembering that he was only doing this per Dana's wishes, he hit play.

At first, he thought the volume was too low. Then he recalled that they had just been quiet around each other at first. He grew painfully hard again as he watched it all happen again. The tender way she'd stroked his face before removing her suit trousers. It all came flooding back. How Skinner had swallowed a lump of arousal in his throat as she peeled away her stockings.

Dana then climbed on top of him in only her vest and underwear. She'd unbuckled his belt and unzipped him in this position, deliberately preserving his modesty.

The room was cold, so he wasn't sure the outline of her nipples against her bra had anything whatsoever to do with his presence, he had stared at them hungrily nonetheless. Skinner grumbled as he resisted the urge to lean in and kiss her cleavage the way he'd always wanted to.

Skinner gripped his tumbler in his fist till he thought it might shatter, biting his lip as he watched her raise onto her knees, pull her underwear aside and take him in.

They hadn't observed his complete arousal and readiness for her, that telling detail had gone ignored thankfully. Dana hadn't rushed a thing, and he didn't push up into her welcoming heat the way he dearly wanted to, he was respectful, lying perfectly still as she controlled the experience.

Once he was inside Dana, he let out a strangled gasp that she returned, they had watched each other heavily for several seconds while adjusting to the new, intense feeling of being joined.

She'd felt him twitch with the need to move and then she'd started rolling her hips, experimentally rocking against him – finding out what worked best for her.

He was more than happy to let her do the work at first. Soon though, he was desperate to participate. Not being able to touch her at all was a whole new kind of torture, one he was less equipped to handle.

Skinner watched it all happening again and found that he couldn't look away. Even under stark watery white lighting, she was so utterly beautiful. She was everything he could ever want in a woman.

He didn't think she'd come. He was too worn out and needy to be embarrassed by his approaching climax after ten minutes together. He was ready to give in and let go, but he felt he should warn her. Was it even part of the bargain? Maybe she would want to stop before that? The thought chilled his bones, but he knew he owed her that much at the very least.

'I'm close.' he'd breathed, she'd nodded at these words, processing them and then closing her eyes and moving against him harder and faster. Her acceptance was too much for him. He started to lift his hips in time with her thrusts, meeting her and creating a new level of friction that made them both moan in unison.

Then Dana surprised him by draping herself over his chest, pressing her mouth to his neck, holding his bound wrists in her warm hands and taking him faster and with less control.

'There...' she'd sighed against his neck, signalling her release, he heard her breathing become erratic. He turned towards her, deeply inhaling the scent of her hair as she tightened down against him and issued a low moan that ran right through him.

It seemed to last for several seconds, she leaned back onto her hands then and met his eyes, holding his gaze and riding him harder until he came too.

Neither of them said a word as she gently moved off and away from him, taking care to tuck him back inside his trousers, he'd hissed at the gesture- still sensitive and wet from her.

Soon the video cut out and Skinner was left standing alone in his apartment, needy and desperate for her again. He finished his scotch and then threw the tumbler into his open fire – swearing aloud, feeling so blessed and cursed all at once that he could hardly stand it.

After several seconds of a silent debate, he resisted the urge to watch the tape again, opting instead to remove it from the VCR and pull out the magnetic tape in reels onto the floor.

He didn't feel anything akin to closure as the material pooled at his feet.


	6. Bargaining

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set before the events in Season 6 Episode 'Biogenesis.' Alex Krycek holds Walter Skinner's life in his hands. Using the nanotechnology in Skinner's bloodstream as leverage, Krycek makes demands that compromise the trust and working relationship between Skinner and the X-Files team.

Skinner felt like a wreck of a man. Back at work and trying to lose himself in daily tasks, he found inactivity impossible to tolerate.  
In the gym he pushed himself until he could barely walk back to his car, he stayed at the office later than Fox Mulder ever had. At home, he drank more than was good for him, and when attempting to sleep, he stayed awake most of the night thinking about Dana Scully, remembering what he knew he had no hope of forgetting. What he needed to forget if he hoped to retain his sanity.

He hadn't realised until she'd made love to him, didn't know the extent of his devotion to her. Now he was forced to face the truth of it all. Ever since their first meeting, he'd wanted her. All these years later, his feelings had only intensified. She was a part of him. There was no use denying it.  
There was no coming back from what they'd done. The memories he had of that night were inescapable, indelible, indestructible.

Not giving way to the inevitable arousal the memory engendered was the best punishment he could accord himself. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't forget the way she'd felt against him. The look in her eyes as she'd led him in -- that alone was enough to make him feel like he was teetering on the edge of madness.

They'd been forced together in the quiet room. That was the only way of looking at it. The fact that he was capable of getting turned on over the memory made him hate himself.  
When the desire bit into him at night, when he felt his resolve slipping and wanted to take himself in hand - he'd repress the need. He would abstain. Feeling strain and discomfort was what he thought he deserved.

What must she think of him? He'd said no to her and then when she'd expressed her willingness he'd been ready in a heartbeat. If he had any honour at all, then he would have been unable to play along. Instead, his own body had betrayed him. Made it clear how much he secretly wanted her.

For her part, Scully was still doing all she could to save him and more besides. She was doing the kindest thing possible, acting oblivious to any reason for awkwardness.  
She was all upright professionalism in his presence. He figured that if she could adopt a neutral mask for the sake of their working relationship, then he could too. Even if he was falling apart internally, no-one else needed to know that.

Fox Mulder was a different story. He played along during meetings, but occasionally Skinner could feel the weight of a sideways glance that told a story. It was hard to mistranslate. He was wondering how to trust the man who had fucked his partner.

Skinner wondered if he would ever manage to redeem himself in Mulder's eyes, but really, it was a transitory concern. As long as Scully accepted him, he didn't give a damn what anybody else thought of his integrity.

It was working out. Skinner and Scully had found a system - they would stick to it, and it would all be okay. Skinner repeated this thought again and again in his head. It was his new mantra.  
He felt like an automaton, going through the motions. Living had become such a chore. Now that he knew what she felt like, his everyday existence felt so damn pedestrian.

When Dana asked him to meet her during lunchtime in the car park three weeks after their encounter, he knew it would have nothing whatsoever to do with work. It wouldn't relate to the X-Files, nor would it be a chance to right what had gone so wrong.

Dana was waiting for him in her car in the darkened parking lot. He had left a pile of papers forgotten on his desk to meet her. He now worked like the possessed in a bid to expel memories of her from his mind.

'Scully -- are you alright?' he asked as he got in the passenger seat.

'I'm fine. There's something I wanted to show you. It won't take long. Is that okay?'

'Sure' he agreed, with no real idea what she might have in mind. Though whatever the case, it was better that they conduct all conversations away from the bureau.

It took him five minutes to realise that she was driving in the direction of the psychiatric hospital.  
He felt his breath catch in his throat when she pulled up across the road from the abandoned building and turned to face him in her seat.  
Why had she brought him back here? He was trying so hard to forget what had happened there, just being in the same neighbourhood was too much to stand.

She checked the time and announced that they were a little early, he remained silent as she drove them to pick up some coffees and then parked back in the same spot.

After five minutes of being sat in silence, sipping at their coffees and avoiding eye contact, Skinner gave in to the urge to speak.

'What are we doing here, Dana?'

'I heard that it was today, and...' her sentence cut short as bulldozers advanced on the site. The pair looked on as crew members inspected the building one final time. Then the demolition began.

Skinner looked on as one by one, the walls that had held them captive got torn down. The awful place reduced to bricks and rubble before their very eyes. He knew now why she'd decided to use her lunch break to bring him here.

They waited together until silence fell on the site. Until all that remained of the building was dust rising from the ground. Then Dana turned to him and said that she thought he would want to see that too.

'Why is that?' he asked then, knowing that he was being cruel in asking her such a thing.

'Why?' Dana frowned back at him. She looked utterly thrown by the question.

'I thought that it would help you - help us both. To forget what happened in there. To let go of the past.'

'I see' he nodded in understanding but knew his gloomy demeanour was confusing. It made little sense, even to him, why couldn't he just feign something akin to gratitude?

'Was I wrong?' Dana pressed, looking a little offended by his lack of interest.

'Not, it's not that. I just really need to get back to the office.'

'Okay, I didn't mean to disrupt your day' she reasoned, he heard the edge in her tone and felt it break his resolve.

'I appreciate the thought, I just think it's going to take more than a wrecking ball to put things right...' he trailed off and wished that she would stop looking at him. He felt that all his denial and pain was written all over his face. Surely, she could see why he was struggling?

'I understand that, Skinner. I just thought it would be a good start.'

'It was, thank you.' he agreed stonily. Dana continued trying to meet his eyes, something he avoided at all costs.

'If you ever want to talk, about what happened in there.' she began awkwardly, staring down at her hands on the steering wheel.

'I don't think so, I think it's better not to discuss it.' he concluded, Dana nodded at him, looking entirely unconvinced by his words before driving off in the direction of the office.

When they were parked up, she managed to make the situation that bit harder for him, he looked up and saw pity in her eyes. He was desperate to get away from her when she further delayed him by removing a business card from her purse and handing it over to him.

'I know you need to get back in the office, but I thought that it might be worthwhile if you take this.'

Skinner looked down at the business card. It contained contact details for a therapist. He laughed as he tucked it into his breast pocket.

'She helped me. She might be able to help you too?' Dana reasoned, she sounded strained and slightly annoyed with his attitude.

Skinner avoided the burning desire to say that no-one could help him now. He was a dead man walking and not because of the nanotechnology either. That wasn't the reason that he would never know peace again.  
Still, once more, all she was trying to do was help him, so he forced himself to nod in her direction.

'I'll give it some thought' he announced, stepping out of the car and returning to the safety of his office.

Just as he was considering having another coffee to get him through the rest of the afternoon, his cell phone rang.

'Walter, how's the ticker doing buddy?'

'I'm busy, Alex.'

'Not too busy to talk to an old friend?'

'What do you want?'

'I didn't know that you and Dana spent lunchtime together. Did that night in the hospital spark something or what?'

'I said, what do you want?!' Skinner gritted out, aware that his assistant was still at her desk and fighting the urge to either yell or hang up on him directly.

'Take it easy! We need to talk. I've got to say I'm impressed. Your big-screen debut was something to see. Shame Dana didn't take more clothes off but hey...'

'Stop talking about her!' Skinner threatened him, his tone low and ice cold. They both knew who had the power though. It wasn't up for debate.

'Yeah, talking is the last thing I'd want to do where Dana Scully is concerned. I'm watching the video right now, can you hear it? I'll turn it up for you.'

Skinner swallowed thickly as the breathy moans of Scully reached his ears, he heard his answering groans of arousal and grimaced at the recollection.

'I wonder what Mulder made of this tape? He always liked his XXX videos, but I doubt he counted on ever seeing his partner riding you like that. Something tells me that it's not the first time it's occurred to you before, am I right? Tell me I'm right...'

'Tell me what you want?!'

'I want to give you the chance to make this right again, Walter. The fact is, I'm getting tired of watching this video. It was fun at first, but now I need something more precious. Because we go way back I'm going to give you the chance to earn this tape back from me. I know, I know. I'm too sweet for my own good. You turned me down the last time I asked you for this, but something tells me you won't say no twice.'

'I need the master copy, or we don't have a deal.' Skinner announced finally.

'You've got it, Walter. You tape the next meeting with Mulder and your little girlfriend, and I'll give up your tape. Then you can do what you want with it, can't you?'

Skinner gritted his teeth again, wondering if Dana would ever forgive him for this? If this ever got out, then he would have burned all bridges with the partners. Maybe that was for the best though. He was already damned, so surely this was a worthwhile risk.

'Okay, Alex. You've got a deal.' he agreed, hanging up the phone when he heard the line go dead. There was no other way out, was there?


	7. Epiphany

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set after season 7 episode The Sixth Extinction: Amor Fati. Mulder is in recovery at home. Skinner was forced to tell Scully that his position had been compromised. By recording the X-Files teams meeting, he successfully earned back the tape, though Krycek still holds power over him. Officially speaking, the dust has settled but Skinner is still struggling with guilt.
> 
> Spoilers – Biogenesis, The Sixth Extinction, and The Sixth Extinction: Amor Fati

Skinner lurched up the church steps, unsteady on his feet, a lost soul. He had no intention of sitting through Sunday service.

No, he had something that he needed to get off his chest to someone, anyone. Treating himself to a Sunday lunch at the local bar and grill had turned into a few beers, which turned into a few more beers with whiskey chasers and when he was settling his tab, he found the therapist card that Dana had given him.

He realized that he was pretty damn near being the one angry, lonely man at the bar, drinking his problems away and scaring off the other respectable patrons.

The idea of booking an appointment jarred him, Walter had no idea why. He was jealous of Dana for taking care of herself, for being so responsible. He was walking home thinking that he'd give his last breath for one more night in her arms when he heard the church bells.

It was a lark, a stupid drunken idea, but he thought he'd let a priest hear his confession instead of a therapist.

He had been raised Catholic, and he amused himself by trying to recall how this all worked when he was a boy.

Inside the confessional booth, he could tell that there was already someone on the other side of the latticed screen, so he clumsily fell to his knees.

'Bless me, father for I have sinned, it's been – uh – about twenty-nine years since my last confession.'

'I see, and what are your sins?'

'I have forgotten most of them...'

'That's okay, in your own time.'

'I went to war after my last confession. I couldn't bring myself to come back to church after they brought me home. I did some awful things. I killed a lot of men and a child. I killed a little boy.'

'I'm listening.'

Skinner wondered what the hell he was doing as his palms met and he gave himself over to the experience out of pure desperation and need.

'I took a lot of drugs with my fellow soldiers, some pot, acid, I'd blame it on the times, but that makes me sound like a total coward – the truth isn't far off...I slept with a woman that wasn't my wife. I broke my wife's heart. I was a bad husband. I never got to make amends with her before she died. I know it might sound like I've been making poor choices all along, and maybe I have.  
I can't seem to help myself, I guess. There was a time when I thought I still had a fighting chance in life, to live right. To be, if not happy, then I don't know – honourable. I've got a decent job, well, it was decent once, before she showed up.'

'A colleague?'

'Yes, father. This woman, this small, red-headed woman, she's just – incredible. Like heaven on earth, I found it. I've seen it. She's tough, smart, tender, beautiful – she's everything, and she drives me mad. There's that line isn't there? That saying about there being two tragedies in life, one is not getting what you want, and the other is getting it?'

'It was Oscar Wilde – he said that.'

'Okay, well, clearly he got it. I used to think about that idea a lot. I was obsessed with it for a while because she was what I wanted – my greatest wish. I knew I would never have her, that she'd never look twice at me. It killed me, drove me to distraction, but I know now that not having her was the only thing holding my life together.'

'You love this woman?'

Skinner fell silent, confused and paranoid, suggestion almost enough to sober him up.

'It doesn't matter. Dana doesn't feel that way - forget that word, okay?'

'It sounds like you're in a relationship with her.'

'No, not at all. Everything I have done in the past has been to protect this woman, but then I ran out of options. She doesn't trust me any more – I don't think she'll ever trust me again...'

'But you wish she would?'

'Yes, I wish that.'

'I can lead you in prayer.'

'You know what? I'm sorry - I've taken up enough of your time.' Skinner walked out abruptly, having a drunken epiphany. He was talking to the wrong person right now.

Dana wasn't thrilled to see him, and she didn't do a great deal to hide the fact either. Her mouth set in a grim line of resolve as she surveyed him.

'May I come in?' he floated hopefully.

'You've been drinking again...'

'You think I'd come here sober?' he demanded, she sighed and let him in.

'I tried calling you earlier. Where have you been?'

'Church.' he admitted, she sighed again and closed her apartment door rather heavily behind him.

'I thought you were through lying to me?'

'Believe what you want, okay? Why were you calling me?'

'Mulder is back home again. I thought you might want to know that.'

'That's good to hear.'

'What do you want Skinner?' she pressed then, the tension between them was growing unbearable.

'You came to me once and asked me to destroy a tape like this. I'm making you the same offer. Here is the original copy.' Skinner announced handing over the disk. He didn't need to explain what it contained.

'How did you get this?'

'The person who was trying to blackmail us. They gave me the chance to earn this tape back. I compromised your X-Files investigation and nearly cost Mulder his life. It was a mistake, but I was trying to make this all go away for you.'

'For me?'

'Yes, I hope you know that I would never deliberately hurt you. I didn't want to come between you and Mulder either, your relationship...'

Scully was alerted now by the nature of his drunken rambling, when did it all get so personal?

'You could never come between Mulder and me.'

'I know, I didn't mean to presume that –'

'I mean there is no relationship, Sir.'

As thrilled as Scully was to have her Mulder back, she was under no illusion that their connection had evolved beyond a close friendship.

He might have been in a weakened state when he let Fowley take him home, but she knew that there was every chance they had reconnected. There had been hints of this distinct possibility ever since Fowley had returned to Washington. Now she intended to let Mulder grieve his ex-partner and former lover in peace.

'I should go.' Skinner reasoned, he was starting to grasp how very drunk he was. There was also a distinct chance that he might let slip how happy he was to hear that she was still single.

He had no idea why either. It didn't affect him in any regard. He told himself that it was only that he no longer had to carry the burden of standing in their way. That was so much safer.

'Did you go to Church today?'

'Yes, I figured a holy man might have the patience to put up with a drunken fool. I was settling up in the bar when I found this.' Skinner pulled his wallet out of his pocket and handed the therapist card back to Dana.

'I gave it a shot, but honestly, I don't want to talk to anyone else about what happened between us, Scully. I discovered that today.'

'Can you tell me why?' she demanded, still confused by his indifference.

'Because I hate that Mulder knows. I didn't want anyone to know. It wasn't supposed to happen that way...'

'Supposed to?' she repeated, looking confused.

Skinner took up one of the dining chairs, putting his head in his hands when it dawned on him that he'd already said too much.

'You must know.' he announced when she took up the chair beside him.

'Know what?'

'Don't make me say it.'

'Don't you think you've kept me in the dark enough lately? I deserve answers, Walter.'

'Okay, can we treat this like confession then? I tell you, and we forget it all afterwards, it's all absolved. It all goes away. What happened in the quiet room. What I say here today.'

'If that's what you want.'

'It's not. I don't want to forget being close to you. That's the problem. I've wanted you for years, and I hoped that our first time would -- I just wanted it to change both our lives for the better.'

'I don't know what to say...'

'No, of course not.' he hung his head and ran a hand across his face again. He needed to retreat, to get to a safe place and forget that any of this had ever happened.

'Would you have ever told me this if we hadn't spent time in that room together?'

'No. I'm not a natural liar, Dana. I'm just used to denying how I feel about you. I figured it would be a burden to you. Our working relationship –'

'I know. I wish you were sober right now.' Dana informed him then with a shake of her head. He groaned inwardly. The courage he'd needed was now a hindrance.

'Well, right or wrong. It got me here, and for that at least, I'm not regretful. Please can you forget what I said here today?'

'If that's what you think is best.'

'Yeah.' he got onto his feet rather unsteadily and walked out her apartment before she could say anything else on the matter.


	8. Compromised

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scully gives Skinner a chance to explain himself...
> 
> Spoilers - Biogenesis, The Sixth Extinction. The Sixth Extinction: Amor Fati

It was a week since Skinner had opened up to Dana Scully. Exactly a week since he'd let alcohol fumes carry him to her apartment where he'd bared his soul.

He felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulder when he'd walked home that day. But by the time he'd returned to work the next day, he regretted everything.

That first meeting was awful, so much worse than their first after the quiet room. This time was different because Dana knew the truth. There were no more chances to claim plausible deniability. There were no lies left to hide behind.

Scully was pure professionalism again, nothing about her attitude or demeanour suggested that his confession had affronted her in any way.  
There was no winning. Either Dana acted awkwardly, and he hated himself for putting her in that position. Or she acted like nothing was amiss, and he felt like his longing meant nothing to her.

Scully acted like there was no reason for awkwardness, so he played along, he would always play along.

The following Sunday, he found himself in another familiar position. He'd worked out already, his apartment was spotlessly clean, and he was contemplating going to the bar to watch the game.

He knew that grabbing some lunch and watching the football would inevitably lead to a few drinks.

His depression was making casual drinking impossible for him. He kept overdoing it. Knowing that he'd made the most important declaration of his life on beer and whiskey was too much for him.

That she'd wished he was sober when he told her about his feelings, that had hit home, that had burned him.

On this occasion, he decided to do the healthy, sensible thing. He might not be willing to speak to a therapist about his burdens, but he could at least fix himself a decent lunch at home and take better care of himself for a while.

The game didn't start for an hour, so after eating a sandwich, he walked about the place, trying to distract himself.  
He'd settled down with a book and was contemplating a coffee when his doorbell sounded.

She was the last person he expected to see. That was until he clocked her companions. Dana Scully was stood outside his apartment, smiling hopefully and holding up a six-pack of beers. Behind her were three rather strange looking individuals.

'Scully, what's wrong?'

'Nothing, Sir. May we come in?'

Skinner moved aside, confused as the three men followed Scully into his home, they were each carrying suitcases which they proceeded to open. He frowned as they started to remove and activate electronic equipment.

'Nice pad.' the shortest man observed, Skinner thanked him, his confusion had reached a mass point now, and he was growing agitated.

'These are friends of mine. They take matters of security very seriously. I explained to them that you're concerned about privacy and they've come here to do a little sweep of your apartment. Do you mind?'

'No, I guess not. Maybe we should be formally introduced though? If they intend to go through all my belongings...'

'Melvin Frohike, Richard Langley and John Byers. They publish a magazine called the Lone Gunmen. Guys, this is Walter Skinner, Assistant Director of the FBI.'

'Nice to meet you, Walt.' Frohike ventured, winking at him.

'Don't call me Walt.' Skinner returned with a grumble that made Scully smile.

'Would you guys like coffee?' Dana floated, trying to keep things light and friendly.

'Sure.' Langley agreed as they set to work on the place.

'Skinner, would you show me where you keep your cups?'

Walter followed Dana into his kitchen, completely nonplussed. He watched as she put the beers in the fridge and rummaged around until she found some milk.

'What the hell's going on here, Scully? Who are those men?'

'I told you, they're here to help.'

'They're checking my home for security breaches?'

'Yes, you can never be too careful – Mulder taught me that.' she responded, he swallowed his next comment and fetched her some mugs as she filled his kettle.

She waited till the noise of the rapidly boiling water filled the silence between them before speaking up.

'I brought them here because I would like to speak privately with you.'

'What do you want to know?'

'You told me that you were compromised. I'm here to talk about that.'

Scully looked over her boss as he nodded at in her direction. Skinner hadn't been sleeping well, and he wondered if it showed. At least he was sober today though.

'You look like hell.' she murmured, he laughed bitterly in agreement.

'That seems appropriate.' he concluded.

Skinner accepted a cup of coffee and then sat in the corner of his apartment with her, watching as the guys tore his place apart.

Luckily it was already spartan, spotlessly clean and airy. It made the gunmen's job a lot easier apparently.  
Just over an hour later they declared that it was entirely clean, Scully thanked them, and they announced that they would be off for celebratory cheesesteaks with Mulder.

'The steaks and the first rounds on me guys, thanks for doing this.'

'Anything for you, Scully' Frohike announced, bowing for her gallantly and sharing a toothy smile with her.

'Will you just go out with him once? It would make our lives a lot easier' Langley asked Scully.

'I wouldn't want to do anything to risk our beautiful friendship' she replied.  
The gunmen laughed, and Melvin Frohike staggered as if he'd caught a love dart to the chest.

After the gunmen had left, Dana and Walter eyed each other, awkward silence fell between them.

'Interesting friends you've got there' Skinner mused, walking around his messed up apartment and tidying up compulsively.

'They can be trusted, that's all I want from my friends.' she announced, pointedly.

'How's Mulder doing?'

'It looks like he will make a full recovery.

'How did he take the news about Fowley?'

'As well as can be expected.'

Skinner nodded, eyeing Scully, wondering if she knew about her partner's brief marriage to Fowley during the '80s.

'Are you going to tell me who held us, now?'

'Alex Krycek. I had hoped that I would have killed him before we had this conversation. I wanted to tell you the truth, Scully, but only when he was no longer a threat. I gave him details about your work in exchange for the hard copy of the tape.'

'Why didn't you tell me before?'

'You know why. Your reputation and career were in jeopardy, so was mine. I did what I thought was best, and here we are.'

Scully surveyed her boss again, he looked ragged, exhausted, like he hadn't slept properly for weeks.

'Are you okay?'

'I'm in better shape than the last time we talked like this.'

'I didn't mean it like that.'

Skinner stared at the floor, unwilling to make eye contact now, sure that his feelings were going to explode out of him again. Silently he willed her to leave.

'Did you ever go back to Church?'

'No, I think my days of confessing are over.'

'Are you watching the game today?'

'I was thinking of checking it out.' he responded, shrugging somewhat indifferently.

'Can I join you?'

'Sure.' he frowned, confused again as she left briefly and returned with two open bottles of Heineken.

'No more drinking alone.' she announced, he blinked in response, taking the beer from her hands and thanking her automatically.

When she took a seat on his couch and stared up at him in silent expectation, he switched on the television and flicked through the channels.

The game hadn't started yet - the presenters were still deep in the pre-game chat. He pretended he was interested in what they had to say and took a deep sip of his beer.

He refused to look in Scully's direction, but he sensed her eyes on the screen too. Skinner wished he could openly watch her swigging her beer.

'What you said last week stayed with me.' Dana broke the silence between them, and Skinner froze up, still eyeing the screen, trying desperately to act unmoved.

'Okay, which part?'

'Which do you think?' she demanded, somewhat sarcastically, he sipped his beer again and finally turned to look at her.  
She could tell how close to breaking he was and she smiled shyly to put him at ease.

'I asked that you not make me say it out loud before, now I hope you know why I don't want to guess?'

'Okay, what you said about how it was supposed to happen. How you hoped it would change our lives for the better. I've been thinking about that.'

'Yeah?'

'Yeah, I realised that I'm glad it happened the way it did. I know it was under awful circumstances, and it was hardly the setting either of us would have chosen. But it happened, and you said yourself you might never have told me otherwise...'

'That's true, so you're glad...?' he demanded, incredulous.

'If you feel the same way, then I am. If you don't - we can watch the game, and I'll go home, okay?'

'I do, I always have.'

'Good. Because I was thinking that despite being happy it happened, I'd like to know what you had in mind. What our first time should have been like...'

'Honestly, it could have been anywhere, anytime. The only thing that mattered was that you wanted to be there too.'

'Well, I want to be here right now.' she admitted, smiling at him again, sipping her drink and turning back to the television while he struggled to find an appropriate response.

Even with all the encouragement she'd given him, he was still scared senseless as he cast their drink aside and then stole a very gentle kiss from her.

Scully could sense his apprehension, she gripped his neck and deepened the kiss, boosting his confidence, moaning when he caught on.

'Is right here okay?' she asked him between kisses, breathless for more.

'Wherever you want, Dana. You know that...' he reiterated as she climbed into his lap.

'What about the game?' she asked, smiling as he got lost in her.

'Fuck the game.' he announced, running his fingers through her hair and kissing her passionately again.

They both worked swiftly on his shirt buttons and then he ripped her cardigan up over her head.

This time he wanted to see all of her, and he was thrilled to find that she seemed to have the same idea in mind.

What she'd said was true. When they were laid bare to each other, when she sat astride Skinner again, he saw it. Her eyes pierced his when she led him inside her. Nothing else mattered. He didn't care how they got there.

In a high rise apartment building on the side of the street, a man wielding a camera with a telescopic lens took several pictures in succession.

'I was rooting for you kids to get together again.' Alex laughed, capturing endless images of Dana and Walter making slow passionate love to each other.


End file.
